ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Mental Health Support For People Post Covid-19
To address the burden of mental disorders, the Government of India is implementing the National Mental Health Programme  since 1982. The Government is supporting implementation of the District Mental Health Programme  under NMHP in 704 districts of the country. To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses, Information, Education and Communication  activities are an integral part of the NMHP. At district level, sufficient funds are provided under the DMHP under the National Health Mission for IEC and awareness generation activities in the community, schools, workplaces and community at large.
Further, realizing the impact that COVID-19 may have on the mental health of the people, the Government has taken a number of initiatives, including -
- Setting up of a 24/7 helpline to provide psychosocial support, by mental health professionals, to the entire affected population, divided into different target groups viz children, adult, elderly, women and healthcare workers.
- Issuance of guidelines/ advisories on management of mental health issues, catering to different segments of the society.
- Advocacy through various media platforms in the form of creative and audio-visual materials on managing stress and anxiety, and promoting an environment of support and care for all.
- Issuance and dissemination of detailed guidelines by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences , Bengaluru- "Mental Health in the times of COVID-19 Pandemic - Guidance for General Medical and Specialized Mental Health Care Settings".
- All the guidelines, advisories and advocacy material can be accessed on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website under “Behavioural Health – Psychosocial helpline” .
- Online capacity building of health workers by NIMHANS in providing psychosocial support and training through -Diksha platform.
Besides the above, the Government has announced a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” in the Budget of 2022-23, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country.
With the objective to mobilize efforts in support of mental health and to raise awareness about mental health issues and advocate against the social stigma that surrounds mental health, the World Mental Health Day is also observed on 10th October of each year.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Geological Survey’s Marine Exploration Division discovered huge volumes of limemud and marine sand that will benefit industry
-Kolkata, 23rd August, 2018
The Geological Survey of India  has discovered potential zones of high grade limemud and limesand off Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts that is capable of fulfilling steel industry’s requirement for blast furnace and chemical grade and chemical grade limestone which are presently being met from imports, informed Director General of GSI Dr. Dinesh Gupta in Kolkata today. GSI’s research vessel Samudra-Ratnakar explored the deposits in Arabian Sea and found 72 thousand million tonnes of limemud from an area of 6603 square km. Providing a detailed explanation, Dr Gupta stated, the high grade limemud resource is located at 80-100 km from the western coast at a depth of 55 to 120 metre beneath sea, corroborated the marine geologists involved in this project. In furtherance of this discovery, study of the chemical nature of limemud at Regional Mineral Processing Laboratory in Indian Bureau of Mines , Bangalore revealed its suitability for cement and filler industries, flux in blast furnaces in steel plants and steel melting shop. Certain industry bodies have expressed interest in the newly explored limemud deposits, stated the DG. The potential zones of high grade limemud and limesand falls within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone off Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts.
In another vital breakthrough achieved by the marine exploration wing of GSI, 745 million tonnes of construction sand resource has been delineated off Kerala coast. The sand resource is located in four blocks off Ponnani, Chavakkad, Alleppey and Kollam, falling beyond 10 km from the shore and at a depth of 30 metres approximately below sea level, except the deposits off Kollam where the water depth is between 50 and 70 metres. This discovery will highly benefit the construction industry in Kerala which is looking for an alternative to qualitatively inferior manufactured sand. Mining of offshore sand will be environmentally and commercially viable, feel the scientists of marine exploration division.
In today’s press meeting, Dr. Dinesh Gupta stated that the premier geoscientific organisation under the Ministry of Mines is set to double its exploration target to 400 project areas in 2019-20.
Prime Minister's Office
Appeal to observe Janta curfew tomorrow from 7 AM to 9 PM
Appeal to thank the selfless service providers of the nation at 5 PM tomorrow
In an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, appeal of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is being recalled to observe Janta curfew tomorrow on 22 March from 7 AM to 9 PM.
To salute the efforts of those providing selfless service to the nation during this trying times, appeal of PM is being recalled urging citizens to stand at the doors and in the balconies of their houses at 5 pm tomorrow and express gratitude by clapping hands or ringing bells for five minutes.
Prime Minister's Office
PM condoles deaths in an accident in Yamuna River at Banda, Uttar Pradesh
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief about the deaths in an accident in Yamuna River at Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. Shri Modi conveyed his condolences to the affected families and informed that local administration, under the supervision of the state government is providing all possible help.
The Prime Minister Office tweeted;
"उत्तर प्रदेश के बांदा में यमुना नदी में हुआ हादसा हृदयविदारक है। इस दुर्घटना में जिन्होंने अपनों को खोया है, उनके प्रति मैं अपनी शोक-संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूं। राज्य सरकार की देखरेख में स्थानीय प्रशासन राहत और बचाव के काम में पूरी तत्परता से जुटा है: PM @narendramodi"
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
201.68 cr Total Vaccine doses  have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
34,93,209 doses administered in last 24 hours
India's Active caseload currently stands at 1,50,100
Active cases stand at 0.34%
Recovery Rate currently at 98.46%
20,726 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to
4,31,92,379
21,411 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate 
Weekly Positivity Rate 
87.21 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 4,80,202 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
Ministry of Labour & Employment
Working Condition of Miners
Government of India has a comprehensive legislation viz., The Mines Act, 1952 and the Rules and Regulations made there under wherein the matters relating to safety, health and welfare of persons employed in the mines are dealt with and the same is administered by Directorate General of Mines Safety  under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. As per reports submitted by the mine management to DGMS, no complaints have been received regarding inhumane conditions of miners in various parts of the country;
As per the information submitted by mine management to DGMS, no child labour is employed in mining sector. To improve the working conditions of the miners and for ensuring safety in the mines in the country under the Mines Act, 1952. The owner, agent, manager and other statutory persons appointed at the mines are required to comply with the provisions of the statute. To ensure that the mine workers are provided with adequate safety measures while working in the mines, officers of DGMS undertake inspections of mines and take measures vis a vis Pointing out contraventions, Withdrawal of permission, Issue of improvement notices, Informal stoppages and Prosecution in the court of law.
To maintain the safety of labourers working under great risk conditions in mines, the following steps are also taken by DGMS:
- To promote and propagate safety awareness in mines, National Safety Awards , National Conference on Safety in Mines are organized by DGMS. Workers participation and sensitization in matters of safety are ensured through training in safety and by initiatives like observance of safety week and safety campaigns, etc.
- Safety training programmes are organized among Managers and Supervisors for improving safety standards in mines.
- Introduction of Risk Assessment Techniques and preparation of safety management plan aimed at elimination of risks and to ensure safety of workmen.
- Introduction of standard operating procedures to avoid unsafe practices in mines.
- Time to time, DGMS Circulars are issued as guidelines for safe operations in identified thrust areas.
This information was provided by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State  for Labour and Employment in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Civil Aviation
Suresh Prabhu directs for reviewing grounding of planes by Jet Airways, Advance Bookings, Cancellations, Refund and Safety issues
DGCA took stock of Jet Airways on Operational, Airworthiness & Passenger facilitation
The Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Suresh Prabhu today directed Secretary and senior officials of DGCA to take stock of grounding of planes by Jet Airways, Advance Bookings, Cancellations, Refund and Safety issues.
As per the direction of Hon’ble Minister, DGCA reviewed the performance of Jet Airways on Operational, Airworthiness & Passenger facilitation today. Current availability of aircraft in the fleet for operation is 41 and accordingly scheduled for 603 domestic flights and 382 international flights has been drawn. However, it is a dynamic situation and there may be further attrition in coming weeks.
DGCA instructed the airline to comply with the relevant provisions of the applicable CARs for facilitation of Passengers regarding timely communication, compensation, refunds and providing alternate flights wherever applicable. The data is being monitored by DGCA on regular basis.
DGCA is ensuring that all aircraft in the fleet whether in operation or on ground are maintained in accordance with Approved Maintenance Programme .
The operator was also directed to ensure that no Pilots/Cabin Crew/AMEs be rostered on duty who had reported stress of any nature. Additionally, all such staff should be current with all mandatory training requirements.
Shri Prabhu has directed all the concerned officials to continuously monitor overall situation. He has also directed them to safeguard the public interest, to give paramount importance to public safety and to take necessary steps for passenger convenience. He instructed DGCA to:
• maintain airworthiness of aircraft being used in schedule,
• avoid last minute cancellation or change in schedule so as to minimize passenger inconvenience, and
• ensure that affected passengers are duly adjusted/refunded as per the relevant regulations.
RJ/KGS
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Ministry of Jal Shakti
Components of PMKSY
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana  was launched during the year 2015-16, with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
PMKSY is an umbrella scheme, consisting of two major components being implemented by this Ministry, namely, Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme , and Har Khet Ko Pani . HKKP, in turn, consists of four sub-components, being Command Area Development & Water Management , Surface Minor Irrigation , Repair, Renovation and Restoration  of Water Bodies, and Ground Water  Development component.
In addition, PMKSY also consists of two components being implemented by other Ministries. Per Drop More Crop  component is being implemented by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Watershed Development component  of PMKSY is being implemented by Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.
The development works undertaken under different components of PMKSY during the last three years  are given at Annexure. However, targets under PMKSY are in terms of area covered, as against beneficiary-wise identification or monitoring.
Component wise details of projects under implementation are as follows.
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Sl. No.
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Components of PMKSY
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Projects under implementation
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1.
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PMKSY-AIBP including pari-passu implementation of CAD&WM
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60 projects are under various stages of implementation.
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2.
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PMKSY-HKKP-SMI
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1,244 schemes are under various stages of implementation.
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3.
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PMKSY-HKKP-RRR
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RRR of 295 water bodies are under various stages of implementation.
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4.
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PMKSY-HKKP-GW
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13 projects are under various stages of implementation.
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6.
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PMKSY-PDMC
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Budget of Rs. 4,000 crore has been provisioned for providing subsidy under PDMC during 2021-22.
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7.
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PMKSY-WDC
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1,139 projects are ongoing and under various stages of implementation.
Further, budgetary allocations for 2021-22 for various components of PMKSY are presently under utilization. The quantum of funds remaining unspent, if any, shall be known at the end of the financial year.
PMKSY was valid till March, 2021. Its extension for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 has been approved by Government of India, with an overall outlay of Rs. 93,068.56 crore . However, approval of Ground Water component under PMKSY-HKKP is presently for 2021-22, and that for Per Drop More Crop being implemented by Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is being taken up separately.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Shri Nitin Gadkari says Nagpur to Pune journey will be possible in eight hours
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shhri Nitin Gadkari has said that Nagpur to Pune journey will be possible in eight hours. In a series of tweets he said considering the inconvenience to commuters currently traveling from Nagpur to Pune, the Nagpur-Mumbai Samridhi Mahamarg will be connected to the newly proposed Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar  Access Control Green Expressway near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar .He said this road will be constructed with a completely new alignment by NHAI.
Shri Gadkari said this will make it possible to travel from Pune to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar  in two and half hours and from Nagpur to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar  in five and half hours through Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution  visits Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Manjiri Gaon
Reviews the working of the NABL accredited laboratories functioning at VSI
Praises VSI for its Research and Development activities
Lauds VSI’s contribution to the growth of the sugar industry in Maharashtra through technical support
Shri Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary  visited Vasantdada Sugar Institute , Manjiri Gaon.
During the visit, Secretary reviewed the working of NABL accredited laboratories established in the campus working to develop various products and byproducts of Sugarcane industry. He praised the functioning of the institute for its Research and development activities and its contribution to the growth of the sugar industry through technical support. It may be noted that the institute also issues certification under FSSAI for various products of the industry.
VSI has played a crucial role in development of sugar industry in Maharashtra by rendering consultancy services to several sugar mills, especially in cooperative sector in Maharashtra. VSI has thus played a truly significant role in making Maharashtra India’s top sugar and ethanol producing state with production of more than 137 Lakh MT of sugar and capacity of about 225 crore litres of ethanol per year.
It may be noted that the Institute, established by the sugarcane grower members of cooperative sugar factories in Maharashtra, sprawls across 385 acres of area and performs all scientific technical and educational functions relevant to the sugar industry under one umbrella. It operates through three main channels viz., Academic, Extension and Research and Development. The secretary visited all the main Departments and Research labs within VSI where the salient aspects of the Sugar Sector and ethanol Program was discussed and reviewed.
During the visit, a presentation on the History of the VSI, its overall organisational working, ongoing research work across different segments and achievements was also made by VSI team.
Shri Shekhar Gaikwad, Sugar Commissioner, Govt. of Maharashtra, Shri Shivajirao Deshmukh, IAS Retd., Director General, VSI, Shri Sambhaji Kadupatil, IAS Retd., Officer on Special Duty , VSI and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister’s interaction with Mr. Bill Gates
(The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today interacted with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair, Mr. Bill Gates via video conference. The dignitaries discussed the global response to COVID-19, and the importance of global coordination on scientific innovation and R&D to combat the pandemic.
Prime Minister underlined the conscious approach that India has adopted in its fight against the health crisis - an approach based on ensuring public engagement through appropriate messaging. He explained how this people-centric bottom-up approach has helped win acceptability for physical distancing, respect for front-line workers, wearing of masks, maintaining proper hygiene, and respecting lockdown provisions.
Prime Minister also highlighted how some of the previous developmental initiatives taken by Government - expanding financial inclusion, strengthening last mile delivery of health services, popularising cleanliness and hygiene through the Swachh Bharat Mission, drawing upon India’s Ayurvedic wisdom to enhance people’s immunity, etc - had helped increase the effectiveness of India’s response to the present pandemic.
Prime Minister appreciated the health related work being done by the Gates Foundation not only in India but also in many other parts of the world, including for coordinating global response to COVID-19. He sought suggestions from Mr. Gates on how India’s capacities and capabilities could be better leveraged for the general benefit of the world.
Some of the ideas that the dignitaries explored in this context included drawing upon India’s unique model of last-mile health service delivery in rural areas, dissemination of the effective contact-tracing mobile app developed by Government of India, and above all by leveraging India’s massive pharmaceutical capacity to scale-up the production of vaccines and therapeutics upon their discovery. They agreed that given India’s willingness and capacity to contribute to global efforts, particularly for benefit of fellow developing countries, it was important for India to be included in the ongoing global discussions for coordinating responses to the pandemic.
In closing, Prime Minister also suggested that the Gates Foundation could take the lead in analysing the necessary changes in lifestyles, economic organisation, social behaviour, modes of disseminating education and healthcare, that would emerge in the post-COVID world, and the associated technological challenges that would need to be addressed. He said that India would be happy to contribute to such an analytical exercise, based on its own experiences.
Prime Minister's Office
Establishment of two 250 bedded makeshift COVID Hospitals at Murshidabad and Kalyani in West Bengal through PM CARES
The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations  Fund Trust has decided to allocate Rs. 41.62 crores for establishment of two 250 bedded makeshift COVID Hospitals by DRDO at Murshidabad and Kalyani, West Bengal. For this, certain infrastructural support would also be provided by the State Government and MoHFW, Govt. of India.
This proposal will augment health infrastructure in West Bengal to effectively manage the COVID situation.
The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations  Fund Trust had, in its endeavor to support the augmentation of health infrastructure, helped establish COVID Hospitals in Bihar, Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar also.
Prime Minister's Office
PM addresses Arogya Manthan marking one year of Ayushman Bharat
Launches a new mobile application for Ayushman Bharat and Startup Grand Challenge
Saal Ek - Ayushman Anek
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched a new mobile application for the Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest health insurance scheme aimed at securing the health of over 10.70 Crore Poor families in the country.
The Prime Minister was presiding over the over the valedictory function of Arogya Manthan at New Delhi today.
He interacted with select beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana PM-JAY.
He visited the exhibition on PM-JAY which showcased the journey of the scheme over the past one year.
He also launched the ‘Ayushman Bharat Start-Up Grand Challenge’ and released a commemorative stamp on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM said “the first year of Ayushman Bharat has been about resolution, dedication and mutual learning. We are running the world's largest health care scheme successfully in India due to our determination.”
He said that the access to medical facilities should be easily available to every poor and every citizen in the country.
He also said that there is a sense of dedication behind this success and this dedication belongs to every state and union territory of the country.
He added that it is a great achievement to awaken hope among the lakhs of poor people of the country to recover from the disease. PM Modi said that in the last one year, if any one person's land, house, jewelry or any other items are saved from mortgage or sale for medical treatment, then this is a huge success of Ayushman India.
The Prime Minister said in the last one year about 50,000 poor could avail the benefit under PMJAY outside their district and state where they could get better facilities.
PM Modi said that Ayushman Bharat is one of the revolutionary steps of New India and not just because it is playing an important role in saving the life of an ordinary person, but it is also a symbol of the dedication and strength of 130 crore people of the country.
He added that Ayushman Bharat is a collective solution for the whole of India as well as a holistic solution for a healthy India. He also said that this is an extension of the government's thinking under which we are working in totality instead of thinking in pieces to deal with India's problems and challenges. Ayushman Bharat ensures better treatment to patients in any part of the country.
Arogya Manthan is a two-day event organized by the National Health Authority, to mark the completion of one year of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. The purpose of the Arogya Manthan is to provide a platform to meet for all the important stakeholders of PM-JAY to meet and discuss the challenges faced in the implementation of the scheme in the past year and to forge new understanding and pathways to improving implementation.